Princeton police chief accused of administrative misconduct has 'medical conditions', will retire in October

Princeton Police Chief David Dudeck, shown in a file photo, has been on leave since allegations of misconduct surfaced.Times file photo

PRINCETON — Police Chief David Dudeck has “medical conditions that require him to take a leave of absence,” and will be placed on sick leave until an Oct. 1, retirement date, according to a severance package approved by the Princeton council last night.

Dudeck, who has been on sick leave from the department since allegations of administrative misconduct against him became public last month, signed the papers on Saturday, Councilwoman Jenny Crumiller said. Under the agreement, he has seven days from that date to reconsider his decision before it becomes binding.

The council approved the deal in a 5-1 vote in what several officials characterized as a chance to put the controversy of the last month behind them.

“A positive vote by the council tonight signals moving forward,” town administrator Robert Bruschi said.

A complaint by the Princeton chapter of the Policemen’s Benevolent Association that detailed the allegations against Dudeck has been withdrawn in the wake of the settlement, Bruschi said. A threatened investigation by the Mercer County Prosecutor’s Office into the chief’s conduct never began and, as a result of the retirement agreement, will never happen, he said.

The agreement allows Dudeck to take an “orderly retirement,” Bruschi said. Even if he is medically cleared before Oct. 1, Dudeck will use accrued vacation time to stay out of work.

Dudeck headed the former Princeton Borough Police Department from 2009 to Dec. 31 of last year before taking over as chief in consolidated Princeton. His attorney, Dominick Bratti, did not return requests for comment yesterday.

Negotiations between township attorney Edwin Schmierer and Bratti on the retirement agreement began a month ago, Schmierer said last night. The talks were cordial, and never held an implied threat the prosecutor’s office would act if Dudeck did not take some type of deal, he said.

Princeton officials stressed that Dudeck chose retirement of his own accord.

“The decision was his,” Councilman Patrick Simon said.

Not all council members were happy with way Dudeck’s leadership ended.

Councilwoman Jo Butler, the lone vote against the retirement package, thought there were other ways the issue could have been settled.

“I cannot claim there were not choices, that this was the only possible outcome, or even the best outcome,” she said before the council voted.

Though Crumiller voted to approve the retirement package, she said she wanted to find out the truth behind the allegations and had hoped the prosecutor’s office would start a probe.

“I would have preferred an investigation ... (but) out of deference to the chief and his 29 years of service, I’m voting for this agreement,” she said.

Dudeck joined the department in 1983, and his salary in 2012 was $175,376, according to public records. Stretching his retirement date through to October will give Dudeck a full 30 years on the force and enable him to retire with a larger pension.

Mayor Liz Lempert said the agreement brings an end to a career for a man who gave “dedicated service” to Princeton.

“Chief Dudeck has led the department through a challenging time with this change to consolidation,” Lempert said. “He’s thought carefully and creatively on how to manage, enhance services to the public offered by consolidation.”

Yet Butler was adamant that Dudeck was getting a raw deal.

“This is a sad day for Princeton, and this is a sad day for me personally,” Butler said. “I said on Jan. 1, I thought we had the right man for the job in Dave Dudeck, and I stand by that.”

Several former borough elected officials made impassioned speeches in the public comment portion preceding the council’s closed debate during which they praised Dudeck.

“His reputation is being scarred,” former borough Mayor Mildred Trotman said. “And I think that is most, most unfortunate for Princeton.”

Members of the public also criticized the council for what they said was not a transparent process.

Lempert reminded the public and council members that officials were barred by law from discussing the details of the complaint or their closed-session deliberations because they revolve around a personnel issue.

Dudeck will remain the head of the department until Oct. 1. In his absence, Capt. Nick Sutter is running operations.

The controversy around Dudeck has made council members even keener on a planned audit of the department, which will happen in the near future, Lempert said.

Dudeck is also the head football coach at The Hun School of Princeton, which had been awaiting the outcome of the departmental reviews.

There’s been no word from Hun, but Butler said she called Dudeck ahead of the meeting yesterday — the first time the two had spoken since Dudeck went on leave.

“I called him to tell him what I was going to say,” she said after the meeting. “I didn’t want him to think I was voting against something he wants.”